Method of manufacturing building elements



Nov. 25, 1947. c. WJKRAUS METHOD OF MANUFACTURiNG BUILDING ELEMENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 10. 1942 Q |NvENToR v CLAFENCE W. KRAus @mQMM. @mA wRNEYs Nov. 25, 1947. c. w. KRAUS 2,431,615

I METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BUILDING ELEMENTS I v Origihl Filed on. 10, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO R CLAREBNCE W. KRAus QM, angmamm Nov. 25, 1947. c. w. KRAUS 2,431,615

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BUILDING ELEMENTS 7 Original Filed Oct. 10, 1942' 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 VIM INVENTOR CLARENCE W. KRAus a @414, ATTORNEYS Nov. 25, 1947. c. w. KRAUS METHOD OF MANUFACTURING BUILDING ELEMENTS Original Filed Oct. 10, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CLAR E I NCE. W. KRA QM, W,M %LATT0RNE5 FiQQO. Q

Nov. 25, 1947. w KRAUS 2,431,615

METHOD OFMANUFACTURING BUILDING ELEMENTS Original Filed 001:. 10. 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 gs 9. m 1 8' 8 6 96 15199 0 s92 91 99 m CLAREI E W. KRAus QMI'IMMI T ORNEYS Patented Nov. 25, 1947 METHOD, or MsNU Um-N iiUI Pmo Clarence W. Kraus, Buffalo, N.

Or nal cation O er 0 9 S ria N9- 461,572; Divided and this application seme e so 194 ,sen an? 5 Cla ms- 1 This invention relates to the method and means employed in the manufacture of novel building elements. The present application is a division .of co-pending application Serial No. 451,572, filed October 10, 1942, which has become Patent 2,384,686.

'The article manufactured according to the present invention comprises a prefabricated buildin .unit including an insulating panel having perma nently secured thereto in the process of manufacture a plurality of cooperating building siding or roofing elements. In the illustrative example set forth herein the siding or roofing elements secured to :the panel or base are conventional wood shingles, but it is to be understood that cooperating siding orroofing elements of other forms and .of other materials may be dealt with according'to the principles of the present invention .to produce a prefabricated building element which avoids the necessity of applying each separate shingle or other siding or roofing element to the building individually. Among the equivalent shingle materials area sbestos, asphalt, tile, meta-l, slate and various composition materials.

In the several building elements set forth herein :by way of example each prefabricated unit comprises several courses of overlapping shingles .securely anchored to a backing slab of fibrous cel-lulosic material or of set gypsum or other cementitious material, both the fibrous panel or the ocmentitious slab andthe several courses of shingles being adapted to abut and interlock respectively with :base slabs and shingles of contiguous similar prefabricated units.

In producing prefabricated units according to the methodrof my invention theseveral courses of shingles .or other siding or roofing elements are arranged in their desired relative positions, preferably with their ultimately exposed faces downward. :The shingles .or the like may be secured to each other in this position and are preferably simultaneously provided with anchoring means which may subsequently be embedded in the molded backing slab. Followingthis, and without rearrangement of the assembled shingles, a backing slab is cast or poured directly against the upper or rear face of the shingle assembly. Apart ,iromthe presenceofthe assembled shingles therebeneath, the shingles having upwardly projecting anchorages which extend into the poured slab .-body,t-he ,formationof the fibrousorgypsumlback- .ing slab isaccomplishedin much the samefashion ,as pulp boards, gypsum wall boards and ypsum 'lathare fabricated on what are known in theart Jes -"board machines. -In the case of pulp boards 2 modified adaptations of Eoursirlnie mach nes may be employed if desired,

After the backin slab h s set ii icioht y t pe h ndling t e enti e a sem ly is plac d in a kiln and excess moisture is removed by drying. It is in this phase of the instant method that a novel advant ge is vaiiorolod, ina much as the he.- .cessity vfor =kiln drying .Of the fi rou or psum slab makes it possible to mplo ree unse s nc shin l where woodshingl s are used. The in drying then effects seasoning of the shingles simultaneously with the -.ultima. -.d; l o t e backing slabs assembled therew th- Formation of the fibrous .or gypsum slab in the manner herein set forth, with the entire absence of a y v ids ,or spaces between the slab and the adjacent faces .of the .oyerlappine sh le i found to substantiall prevent warnin .of the shin les.

While seyeral tor-ms of preiabricated building units are shown and described detail herein, by ,way of example, and while a sin le specifi example of the method and me ns o my nvention is set torth in detail, it is to be understood that the principles underlying the pr ent in- .vention .are not limited sncciiic Aly thereto, nor otherwise than as defined in the appended claim {In the description of specific embodiments ire.- ouent reference is had to gypsum b ck n ,slahs butit is to be understood that fibrous slabs are fully interchangeable .andequivalent, :The term f1- .bro'us slab is intended to include any pulp aboard consisting in whole or in part of cellulosic material and in fact the composition of the board may be a combination of fibrous and c'ementitious ma.- terials. Anymoldable composition havin thedesired thermal characteristics may doe employed.

In the drawings:

Rig. 1 is a perspective view .of .one form of the prefabricated building unit which may be pro: iduced by the method of my present invention;

Fig. 2 isan enlarged cross=sectional view showing fragmentarily the lower edge of one of the building units of Fig. :1 and thegupperedge of the next subjacent unit, illustrating'fltheir m'annerlof .assembly in .a;,finished :walli JFig. v3 is a iraementary cross-sectional perspective view showing theanchoring means which conne t the s ver l shin e elements to each o her and to the psum bac n slab;

F s- 5 :5 and :6 are t ee-me its l lan lows .o the fabricating means ,of my invention, illustrate ing the instant method. Fig. v1i is the 1eit;hand :portion of the assembly means, Fig. .5 the mid portion, and Fig. as the right hand ,portion. It

to be understood that these figures illustrate a single longitudinal assembly path and are broken merely for convenience of illustration;

Figs. '7 through 14 are transverse cross-sectional views through the assembly means of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrating various steps in the method of assembly of the form of prefabricated building ele ment illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of prefabricated building unit;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the lower portion of one of the building units of Fig. 15 and the upper portion of another, showing their mode of assembly; and,

Figs. 17 through 24 are transverse cross-sectional views through assembling means similar to that illustrated in the Figs. 4 through 14 but modified for the manufacture of the building unit of Figs. 15 and 16.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings like characters of reference denote like parts and, referring particularly to Fig. l, the numeral I designates a course of full conventional tapered wood shingles. Overlapping the upper or tip portions of the shingles of the course I is a course II of shingle elements which in the illustrated instance comprise only the butt portions of conventional shingles and, as shown, the upper edges of the shingles of the course I I extend only slightly beyond the tips of the shingles of the course I8.

The shingles of the course II) are fully backed by a sheet of building paper I2 which is preferably tarred or otherwise impregnated to render the same weatherproof. The lower portions of the shingles of the course I!) have therebehind a course I3 of shingle elements which, in the illustrated instance, comprise the tip portions only of conventional wood shingles. The elements of the courses I l and I3 may be provided by severing conventional shingles like those of the course I II. The particular proportions of the prefabricated unit may dictate the use of longer shingles in making up the elements of the courses I I and I3 than those employed in the full shingle course Ill. The shingle elements of the course I3 are separated from those of the course It by the building paper I2 and it will be noted that the shingles of the course ID, together with building paper I2, extend downwardly substantially below the lower edges of the elements of the course I3.

The entire shingle assembly thus far described is backed and supported by a gypsum slab or board I5 and, because the board I 5 is cast in situ, the face thereof which is against the shingle assembly follows intimately the surface irregularities of such assembly. The presence of the course I3 of shingle tips serves to render the slab I5 of approximately uniform thickness. The manner in which the several shingle elements are secured to each other and held against the slab I5 will appear from the ensuing description of the method of manufacture thereof.

It will be noted that the upper edge of the slab I5 is substantially co-terminous with the upper edge of the shingle elements of the course I I and the lower edge of the slab is substantially coterminous with the lower edges of the shingles of the course I3. If desired the upper and lower edges of the slab I5 may be provided, respectively, with tongue and groove formations, designated I1 and I8 respectively in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which the lower edges of the shingles of course I0, together with the weatherproof paper I2, overlap the upper margins of the shingle elements of course II of a subjacent prefabricated element and likewise overlap the upper marginal portion of the backing slab I5 of such subjacent element. It will be noted further that the lower edges of the shingle elements of the course II substantially overlap the upper edges of the shingles of the course I3 to further the prevention of access of moisture to the slab I5 when the devices are assembled and in use.

Referring to Fig. 4 the numerals 25 and 25 designate a pair of adjacent and synchronously moving conveyor belts and, as appears from Figs. 7 through 14, the belts 25 and 26 are separated by a gage bar 21 and are arranged to run at slightly different elevations to assist in proper positioning of shingles thereon, as will presently appear. Gage bars 28 and 29 are shown in Fig. 4

for defining the horizontal length of building elements to be fabricated and for establishing predetermined unshingled spaces at the lateral edges of the prefabricated units.

It is to be understood that a single composite belt may be substituted for the pair of belts 25 and 26. This may be accomplished by merely overlapping the marginal portion of two belts and securing them by cementing, stapling, sewing or otherwise. The edge of the upper overlapping belt will then perform the function of the gage bar 27,

The first step in the assembling operation comprises the positioning of the butt portions of shingles to form the course II. This is accomplished by placing the shingle butt portions with their butt ends against the gage bar 21 as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. The full shingles of the course I!) are then placed upon the assembled course II as shown at the right hand portion of Fig. 4 and in Fig. 8, a gage bar 30 being provided for locating the butt ends of the shingles of the course I9. Following this the conveyor belts 25 and 26 bring the partially assembled unit to a station illustrated at the left hand portion of Fig. 5 where weatherproof paper, designated I2 in Fig. 1, is applied, as from a roll 33. This step is further illustrated in Fig. 9 where a gage bar 34 positions the paper I2 laterally. Following this the assembly arrives at a position illustrated in the mid portion of Fig. 5 where the tip elements of shingles, for forming the course I3, are arranged upon and against the Weatherproof sheet I2. To effect proper location of the elements of the course I3 an overhanging horizontal gage bar 36 is provided.

Conventional gypsum wall boards generally comprise a set gypsum core having paper secured across the opposite faces thereof and the paper is generally folded about the marginal edges of the core. In conventional board machines fabrication is accomplished by running a sheet of facing paper along a conveyor belt, depositing plaster thereon, sizing the thickness of the plaster by means of caliper rolls, bringing the edges of the lower paper sheet up around the edges of the gypsum core, and then applying an upper sheet of facing paper to the deposited plaster core, to complete the wall board.

In proceeding to supply the shingle assembly thus far described with a backing comprising a unitary set gypsum slab it is desired that the slab have paper facings both at its exposed face and at the face which is against the shingle assembly. To this end the next step, which is shown at the right of Fig. 5, comprises placing a sheet of paper 38 over the shingle assembly. The

paper 38 may be drawn directly from a roll 39. As shown in Fig. 5 the lateral margins of the paper 33' project beyond the shingle assembly to provide selv'age portions for subsequent fold ing to embrace the edges of the gypsum slab.

Following the placement of the paper 38 the assembly thus far achieved is secured as a rigid unit by means of staple or wire stitches and in the present instance three longitudinal rows of staples are employed. One row, designated 40-, extends through the butt portions of the shingles of the course In, through the thicker part of the shingle portions of the course I3, through the intervening building paper II, and through the gypsum slab facing paper 33. As shownin the perspective view, Fig. 3 the stitches are so formed that their termina1 portions are clenched in the outer faces of the shingles of the course NJ and are so arranged that they have bight portions extending above the surface of the gypsum slab facing paper 38 to be subsequently embedded in the gypsum slab. Clenching the staples at the outer face of the prefabricated building unit enables the applicator to avoid the staples in sawing or to remove staples that interfere with s'awing when avoidance is not feasible.

A second row of stitches designated 4| extends through the thin edges of the shingle portions of the course |3, through the mid portions of the shingles of the course Hi and through the thick ends of the shingle portions of the course The stitches of the row 4| likewise are clenched at the outer face of the assembly and have bight portions arranged to anchor into the gypsum slab.

A third row of stitches is designated 42 and extends through the thinner ends of the shingles of the course I I to secure the same to the gypsum slab when the latter is cast in such manner as to embed the bight portions of the stitches. The rows of stitches 40, 4| and 42 are applied by means of stitcher heads indicated schematically at the left end of Fig. 6 and designated 43, 44 and 45, respectively. Suitable anvil portions for clenching the stitches may be carried by the side frames of the machine for clenching the stitches 40 and 42 respectively and are designated 41 and 48 in Figs. 6 and 12. A third anvil portion for cooperating with the stitcher head 4| is designated 49 and may be secured to the stationary gage bar 21 which is disposed between the belts 25 and '26. When a composite belt is employed, as men tioned hereinbefore, the anvil portions for the center row of stitches 4| may be carried directly by the belt, and in fact the outer anvil portions may be similarly arranged.

After the stitches are placed and the several courses of shingles are temporarily assembled the assembly passes beneath suitable scoring discs (not shown) for scoring the gypsum slab facing paper 38 as indicated at 50 and 5| in Fig. 6. Fol lowing this the assembly passes conventional die or roll forming means for bringing the marginal edges of the paper 38 into the form indicated at 53 and 54 in Fig. 12. The assembly then passes beneath a hopper containing a slurry of plastic mix which is deposited upon the paper sheet 38 by means of a spout or nozzle '60. The manner in which the rate of deposit is controlled by placement of the nozzle 60 is entirely conventional. A caliper roll 6| then accurately sizes the deposited plaster as to thickness, the slurry being confined laterally by the folded-up margins 53 and 54 of the paper facing 38. The upper marginal edges of the turned up portions 53 and 6 5'4 of the paper '38 are then folded across the top 6f the formed slab as indicated at 64 and 65 in Figs. 6 and 13, again by conventional die or roll forming means.

The final step of assembly, illustrated at the right of Fig. 6 and in Fig. 14, comprises the placing of an outer facing sheet 6'! across the upper surface of the slab l5. This paper may be drawn from a roll 68 and a final caliper roll 69 urge the sheet 61 against the deposited plaster and finally sizes the thickness of the unit. The assembly then encounters a conventional shear 10 for cutting the gypsum slabs into predetermined length units and it will be noted that the cuts are made through the unshingled spaces created by the gage bars 28 and 29, so that only the backing slab need be cut.

As has been stated before and as is clearly shownin Fig. 1, the shingle courses do not extend to the lateral edges of the slab I5. Accordingly, after a number of the prefabricated units are secured against building framework in the nature of studding or the like, the shingle siding may be completed by covering the joints between slabs with Weatherproof paper and applying shingle portions to complete the courses l0 and I. Since the mode of assembly of the prefabricated units will result in gaps in the shingle courses of uniorm width, standard filling in shingle elements may be supplied to the applicator.

After having been thus formed the assemblies comprising the gypsum slabs I5 and the variously applied courses of shingles are placed in a drying kiln (not shown) Where excess moisture is removed from the plaster slab and the green uncured shingle are properly seasoned at the same time.

In the alternative form of prefabricated build ing unit illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16 two horizontal courses of overlapping shingles are proyided. The upper of these courses is designated 15, and the lower 16. The shingles of the courses l5 and 76 may be of substantially equa1 length. As shown in Fig. 16., each of the courses 15 and 16 has a backing sheet of weatherproof material, such as tar paper or the like, these sheets being designated 11 and 18, respectively. The sheets ll and 18 are so arranged that the lower edge of the former overlaps the upper edge of the latter.

A gypsum backing slab 79 corresponds to the slab |5of the first described embodiment and is assembled with the shingle courses l5 and 16 in a similar manner. It will be noted from Fig. 15 that the upper or tip edges of the shingles of the courses 15 extend substantially beyond the upper edge of the gypsum slab 19. It will be further noted that the lower marginal portion of the slab l9 recedes from the lower butt portions of the shingles of the course 16 to provide a pocket 80 for receiving the upwardly extending tip edges of the upper courses of shingles of a subjacent prefabricated building unit. The manner in which vertically adjacent building units interfit is best shown in the detailed cross-section, Fig. 16.

Figs. 17 through 24 are successive cross-sections through a continuous conveyor type machine which is similar in arrangement to that shown in plan in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Views corresponding to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are not shown in the embodiment now being described since the details thereof will be the same as in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 excepting for obvious modifications in location of gages and the like. These modifications will be clear to 7 those skilled in the art from Figs. 17 through 24.

Belt sections 84 and 85 correspond to the belt sections 25 and 28 of Figs. 4 through 15 and a medial gage bar 86 takes the place of the gage bar 21 of those figures. Here again the substitution of a unitary belt is within the purview of the invention. Fig. 1'? shows the placement of shingles of the course l with their butt ends against the gage bar 86. As appears from Fig. [8, the same gage bar 86 may be employed in. locating the weatherproof backing sheet 11.

As seen in Fig. 19, the belt sections 84 and 85 then encounter a gage bar 88 for locating the butt ends of the shingles of the course 16 and, Fig. 20, the same gage bar locates the Weatherproof backing sheet 18. Fig. 21 shows the placement of a paper sheet 9% which comprises one of the facing sheets of the gypsum slab l9 and corresponds to the sheet 53 of Figs. 1 through 14.

When the assembly reaches the station shown in Fig. 22 the marginal portions of the sheet 90 are turned up as shown at 9| and 92 and a pocketforming bar or plate 93 is provided. The plate 93 is disposed between the sheet 90 and the weatherproof sheet 18 of the shingles of the course 16 and removal thereof after completion of the gypsum slab '19 leaves the pocket 80 for receiving the upwardly extending edges of the shingles '15 of a next subjacent building unit. Fig. 22 also illustrates the placement of several horizontal rows of staples or stitches which again are the same in detail as shown in Fig. 3. A'row 95 extends along the shingles of the course 16 immediately above the plate 93 which forms pocket 90. A second row 36 extends through both courses, l5 and 1t, where they overlap. A third row 81 is secured in the tip ends of the shingles of the course 15 to ultimately secure them to the slab 19 by embedding of their bight portions therein.

Fig. 23 shows the step of depositing the gypsum slab l9 and the subsequent step of folding the upstanding marginal portions 9| and 92 over the top of the slab as at 98 and 99, respectively. If desired the slab 19 may be provided with upper and lower tongue and groove formations, as in the previous instance. These formations are designated I00 and l0l respectively in this modification. Fig. 24. illustrates the final assembly step of placing a sheet of paperover the top surface of the slab 19 for completing its envelopment. In Fig. 24-. the final paper facing is designated l0l.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of fabricating a building unit comprising placing successive courses of overlapping shingle elements face down in desired assembled relationship, applying fasteners to secure said courses to each other in such manner as to leave portions of the fasteners projecting from the upper rear faces of the shingle elements, and casting a plastic composition thereon to embed said projecting portions, whereby upon setting of said composition there is provided a base slab integrally associated with the shingle elements by embedding of the projecting portions of the fasteners therein.

2. The method of fabricating a building unit comprising placing successive courses of shingle elements in overlapping assembled relationship, applying fasteners to secure said courses to each other in such manner as toleave portions of the fasteners projecting from corresponding faces of the shingle elements, and casting a plastic composition against such faces to embed said projecting portions, whereby upon setting of said composition there is provided a base slab integrally associated with the shingle elements by embedding of the projecting portions of the fastenerstherein.

3.,The method of fabricating a building unit comprising placing successive courses of shingle elementsin overlapping assembled relationship, securing said courses of shingles to each other with staples by projecting the prongs thereof into said shingles and clenching, while leaving the bight portions of the staples spaced outwardly of the faces of the shingles at one side of said unit, and casting a plastic composition against the faces of the shingles at such side of the unit to embed said bight portions, whereby upon setting of said composition there is provided a base slab integrally associated with the shingle elements by interlocking of the bight portions of the staples in the body of the base slab.

4. The method of fabricating a building unit comprising placing successive courses of shingle elements in overlapping assembled relationship, securing said courses of shingles to each other with staples by projecting the prongs thereof into said shingles and clenching, while leaving the bight portions of the staples spaced outwardly of the faces of the shingles at one side of said unit, and casting a plastic composition against the faces of the shingles at such side of the unit to embed said bight portions, whereby upon setting of said composition there is provided a base slab integrally associated with the shingle elements by interlocking of the bight portions of the staples in the body of the base slab, and providing the base slab with. complementary interfitting edge formations at opposite longitudinal edges thereof during the casting operation.

5. The method of fabricating a building unit comprising placing successive courses of wooden shingle elements of tapered thickness in conventionally overlapping assembled relationship, securing said courses of shingles to each other with staples by driving the prongs thereof into said shingles and clenching, while leaving the bight portions of the staples spaced outwardly of the faces of the shingles at one side of said unit, and casting a plastic composition against the faces of the shingles at such side of the unit to embed said bight portions, whereby upon setting of said composition there is provided a base slab integrally associated with the shingle elements by interlocking of the bight portions of the staples in the body of the base slab, and providing the base slab with complementary interfitting edge formations at opposite longitudinal edges thereof during the casting operation.

CLARENCE W. KRAUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 836,369 Dexter Nov. 20, 1906 1,673,637 Petersen June 12, 1928 1,970,860 Lowell Aug. 21, 1934 2,266,510 Pottinger Dec. 16, 1941 2,348,829 MacArthur et a1. May 16, 1944 2,384,686 Kraus Sept. 11, 1945 

